ere is no doubt of it," responded Pipe, after a careful examination.
Waterborn, the mate, held his lantern to the water line and after a
moment's inspection gave the same opinion.

"Here," exclaimed Blythe, "is the crowning proof!" He plucked from the
shore a handful of silken threads that had caught upon the sand and
gravel which covered the spot where Faith and Sophia must have lain.
Yes, they had found the trail again; but only to lose it in the waters
of Lake Katrine.

"What shall be done?" asked Rodney.

"We must follow you now," answered True. "The path lies upon an element
of which I know little. You and the Boatswain are at home there. To you
who are most wronged Providence gives the opportunity to undo the
injury. We yield to the navy, now. Lead on; we'll follow you, you may be
sure."

Rodney and Pipe had scarcely been themselves since the first tidings of
their bereavement. Their wills seemed benumbed by the blow. They
followed Sergeant True like little children. But now that responsibility
was laid in their hands, they roused themselves to duty. They were the
keen, shrewd, sailor chiefs once more. Subdued still by their grief, but
alert and intelligent, they took up the work before them.

"'Tis an element that leaves no trail," said Rodney, "yet it will go
hard, but my gallant tars shall find the lost ones. We'll scour every
nook and beat every bush along shore, if need be. We'll pluck the dear
captives from under the black flag or we'll sink every timber in the
fleet! What say you, lads?"

A hearty cheer was the sailors' answer. The whole company on shore
joined in it. And it did them all good.

"You can not tell which direction the boat has taken, of course," said
True. "But have you any opinion at all about it? You must start out from
some view point. What shall it be?"

"That is exactly what I have been asking myself," said Rodney. "I have a
notion that the boat, wherever it came from, has crossed to the island
or gone down to the outlet to join the fleet. I incline to the latter
view. The island is lightly garrisoned; the Orchard Camp is nearly
deserted; the mass of Pixie troops are shut up in Fort Spinder.
Naturally, the robbers would take to the fleet as the safest place."

"That is good reasoning, Commodore," said Waterborn, "and there is only
one thing that weakens it. The wind would be dead against them going
downward. For the last half hour it has been blowing due
north--straight upon th